Fencepost mold



April 20 1926.

W. C. MART|NS FENcEPosT MOLD `Filed oct. 19, 1925 Patented Apr. 20,1926. Q f 1,581,850

ales a Ehem respective hoods 6 and with their legs extending inward through the slots 5 in position to be bonded in the concrete or other material of which the post is to be formed.

The ends of the mold or matrix are closed by a base or flat end plate 9 at the base end of the matrix and by a preferably gabled end plate 10 at the opposite end of the matrix which corresponds to the top endof the finished post. The plates 9 and 10 preferably afford the means. for anchoring the side plates 1 and 2 together, and such anchorage is accomplished by interlocking tabs and projections. As seen in Figure 2, each side plate 1 and 2 is provided with longitudinally extended apertured tabs 11, 11, and each end plate 9 and 10 is provided with right-angle tabs 12, 12, disposed to lap the respective engaged plate 1 or 2, and spaced to accommodate the passage of the tabs 11. Rods 13 are inserted through the apertures and connect the respect-ive pairs of the tales 11 for preventing longitudinal separation of the parts while the lapping tabs 12 prevent lateral separation thereof. The flanges 3 are preferably apertured, as at 141, 14, for receiving pins or bolts for securing top and bottom plates 15, 15, in place on the side plates 1 and 2. Each of the top and bottom plates 15 corresponds in length to the side plates 1 and 2, and may correspond in widthor may have a greater or less width according to the thickness of the nnished post desired. It is also preferable, as seen in the drawings, to taper each of the plates 1 and 2, and each'of the plates 15 from the base plate 9 to the cap plate 10 for producing a correspondingly tapered post.

In operation, the several staples 7 are located as above described, and the operation of locating them is greatly facilitated by the presence of the hoods 6 for the slots 5, and said hoods also assist and co-operate with the rod 8 in firmly retaining the several staples against dislocation during the casting operation. 'Ihe staples being in place, and the cover` plate 15 being removed, the matrix being preferably in a horizontal position with the open side upward, the matrix' is filled with the hydraulic cement concrete,

Y.or other material, either in the moistened or fluid state, according to the method intended to be practiced, and the concrete material is thoroughly tamped within the matrix and smoothed oft across its upper surface. The plate 15 is then placed down upon the upper edges ot the plates 1 and 2 and secured thereto by attaching means 16 passed through the apertures 14 and through corresponding apertures 17 in the cover plate. The cast is then left to take its set, and when sufficiently hardened may be removed, and repeatedly moistened until it attains the condition desired or otherwise treated, the present inl volition appertaining to the matrix which provides the contour of and the anchorage means for the post being cast.

then the cast post is ready to be removed from the matrix, the securing means 16 are removed and the plates 15 removed, then the rods 13 'are drawnout and the end plates 9 and 10 withdrawn. Next the rod S is withdrawn and the plates 1 and 2 removed. As the plate 2 is removed, the ma- 2 and in giving configuration to the side faces of the finished post when some particular ornamentation is desired. When cover plates 15 are employed, the top one is first removed after a given cast has been allowed to take its initial set. Thenthe sides and ends of the mold are dismantled for releasing the molded post which is thereafter allowed to take its. final set before being moved, or the dismantling may be deferred until completion of the final set of the cast. When the mold is to be dismantled, after removal of the top plate 15, the rod 8 is withdrawn first, and then the rods 13 are drawn out. `End plates9 and 10 are next removed, and the side plates 1 and 2 are last taken away and the cast is left for the final set unless already in its final condition. Side plates 2, being of sheet metal, are stiffened and their strength supplemented by the straps of which loops 6 are formed. In the structure as seen in Figure 6, while the loops G do not add as greatly to the stabilizing of plate 2 as do loops 6 to plates 2, yet each loop 6 arches the full length of its respective slot and thus produces the effect of a short stiffening bead. Thus the slot covering loops together with the gropve forming beads 4 cooperate to resist twisting and bending stresses to which the plates 2 are subjected in use, and proportionally add to the effective life of the plates.

What I claim is:

1. A side plate for a concrete post matrix comprising a sheet of metal having staplereceiving openings, and a loop of strip metal extending across each of said openings, each of the loops terminating in flat feet at its ends, said feet being anchored to the plate.

2. A side plate for matrix comprising a sheet of material having spaced apertures for receiving anchorage staples, transverse rods fixed to one face of said plate and looped hoods for the apertures at the other face of the-plate.

3. A concrete post matrix comprising side lil() and end plates of sheet metal, means for comprising a vsheet of material having an detachably connecting the end plates to the anchorage staple-receiving slot, and a strip side plates7 one of the side plates being of material looped over the slot at the eX- 10 formed with slots, and sheet metal loops comterior face of the sheet and anchored tothe 5 pletely arching the slots and anchored to the sheet material at the terminals of the slot. slotted plate. In testimony Whereoi1 I alix my signature. 4;. A side plate for a concrete post matrix WILLIAM C. MARTINS. 

